Chas Freeman for NIC: Lots at Stake ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Nation by Robert Dreyfuss - February 25, 2009 - 1:00am A thunderous, coordinated assault against one of President Obama's intelligence picks is now underway. It started in a few right-wing blogs, migrated to semi-official mouthpieces like the Jewish Telegraph Agency, and today it reached the op-ed pages of the Wall Street Journal, in the form of the scurrilous piece by Gabriel Schoenfeld, a resident scholar at some outfit called "the Witherspoon Institute." » Read more

'Palestine's' Next Stage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Peter Marks - February 25, 2009 - 1:00am George Ibrahim tugs down at the top of his turtleneck and points to the bare skin of his throat. "This," he says in accented English, "is what kasaba means in Arabic. Center of breathing. Center of life." » Read more

Veteran Mideast negotiator will be Clinton's Iran advisor ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Paul Richter - February 25, 2009 - 1:00am Reporting from Washington -- Veteran Mideast peace negotiator Dennis B. Ross, who was widely expected to be named special envoy to Iran, has been given a less ambitious mission as the Obama administration continues to weigh how best to deal with the Islamic Republic. President Obama named prominent negotiators to represent the administration in the Middle East and South Asia, and Ross was expected to be given a corresponding assignment for Iran. » Read more

Quartet planning to meet in Sharm ahead of Gaza donors' conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz February 25, 2009 - 1:00am Foreign ministers from the four powers heading a Middle East peace process may meet in the Egyptian town of Sharm el-Sheikh on March 1, RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russia's foreign ministry as saying on Wednesday. The Quartet is composed of Russia, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union. The State Department on Tuesday reaffirmed its support for Israel, telling Haaretz that the U.S. viewed its relations with Jerusalem as "special" and lasting. » Read more

Thousands rally for Abbas in West Bank as Palestinian rivals begin talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz February 25, 2009 - 1:00am Thousands of Palestinians congregated in the West Bank town of Nablus on Wednesday in a strong show of support for President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of reconciliation talks between rival Palestinian factions set to begin in Cairo. Later in the day, representatives of Abbas' Fatah movement are to sit down in Egypt with envoys from the Islamic militant group Hamas to try to plaster over the gaping political rift that divides them. Fatah on Tuesday released some 42 Hamas prisoners as a goodwill gesture ahead of the reconciliation talks. » Read more

Thousands rally for Abbas in West Bank as Palestinian rivals begin talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press February 25, 2009 - 1:00am Thousands of Palestinians congregated in the West Bank town of Nablus on Wednesday in a strong show of support for President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of reconciliation talks between rival Palestinian factions set to begin in Cairo. Later in the day, representatives of Abbas' Fatah movement are to sit down in Egypt with envoys from the Islamic militant group Hamas to try to plaster over the gaping political rift that divides them. Fatah on Tuesday released some 42 Hamas prisoners as a goodwill gesture ahead of the reconciliation talks. » Read more

Clinton warns Israel over delays in Gaza aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - February 25, 2009 - 1:00am Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has relayed messages to Israel in the past week expressing anger at obstacles Israel is placing to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. A leading political source in Jerusalem noted that senior Clinton aides have made it clear that the matter will be central to Clinton's planned visit to Israel next Tuesday. Ahead of Clinton's visit, special U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell is expected to issue a sharply worded protest on the same matter when he arrives here Thursday. » Read more

A framework for an enhanced international role in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Ezzedine Choukri Fishere - February 25, 2009 - 1:00am The recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip resuscitated the debate over a possible international role in the besieged territory. What capacity, if any, can the international community fill in order to help run Gaza's crossings, patrol its borders, ensure equitable distribution of humanitarian assistance and support imminent reconstruction efforts? » Read more

Reversal of American stand ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Osama Al-Sharif - February 25, 2009 - 1:00am In a brazen departure from the policies of the Bush administration, Washington is rapidly warming up to Syria, a country that for years was stigmatized, isolated and threatened. Congressional delegations have been landing in Damascus and meeting President Bashar Assad; early signs suggest that a quick thaw in relations is about to happen soon. » Read more

Hamas Upset By Fatah Prisoner Release ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post August 20, 2008 - 12:00am Israel's plan to release 200 Fatah prisoners as a goodwill gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has angered Hamas and could result in a policy change regarding any future prisoner exchange deal with Israel to secure the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar was quoted Tuesday by the London-based Arab daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi as saying that if only Fatah prisoners are released it will convince Hamas to demand the release of prisoners that "would fit" its agenda. » Read more